By If someone had told me back in high school that the band I always watch live, would someday have their songs featured in a musical, and that I would get to see it, I simply wouldn’t have believed them. Yet, last Saturday afternoon, I commuted all the way from Santa Rosa to Areté in Ateneo to watch Si Faust, a powerful rock opera featuring the music of the iconic Filipino band, Wolfgang.
From High School Fangirl to Witnessing a Rock Opera Dream Come True
Wolfgang was the only local band I truly “chased” during my high school years. I vividly recall a friend and I joining an NU107 contest just for free tickets to the NU Rock Awards so we could see them perform. I watched every concert within the South; I was the kid their then-manager, Patrick Pulumbarit, would allow to say Hi to the band backstage. Yes, I was the quintessential fangirl. As I grew up, I was fortunate enough to land a job at a music magazine, which led to working closely with many amazing musicians, including the members of Wolfgang. I have remained a devoted fan over the years, and I still know all my favorite songs by heart. So, imagine my excitement when I saw a post from frontman Basti Artadi holding a script for Si Faust. At first, I had no idea what it was, but he announced in the post that his long-held dream of featuring the band’s songs in a musical was finally turning into reality.
The Iconic Filipino Rock Band’s Theater Debut: Wolfgang’s Music in Si Faust
Si Faust is a rock opera adapted from the timeless classic German legend, which was formalized into a two-part play by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This stage adaptation specifically tackles the first part of the play. Here, we meet Faust (Ton Vergel De Dios), a man discontented with his existence, who agrees to a pact with the devil, Mephistopheles (Maita Ponce). Given newfound youth and power, Faust falls in-love with Marga (Shaira Opsimar). The cast also features Joshua Cabiladas as Marga’s brother, Tiño, and Matel Patayon as Tiño’s wife, Martha. Completing the performance are ensemble members MC Dela Cruz, Jam Binay, JV Fulgencio, Thor Ganchero, and Iya Villanueva.
It was my first time at the Doreen Blackbox Theater in Arete and it was immediately clear upon entering that the performance would be an intimate experience. Projected on the wall was a glitching eye from Wolfgang’s Wurm album, which subtly hinted that many of the songs would be drawn from that record.
The set design by Sarah Facuri was simple but incredibly impressive. I loved how she used the backdrop, opening and closing it smartly. It dramatically enhanced the storytelling of the characters. The opening scene featured the ensemble, representing God and angels, singing “Twist of Lime.” Then, Maita Ponce, as Mephistopheles, took the stage singing “Molds,” introducing herself and the havoc she intended to unleash on mankind. Maita Ponce is a powerhouse. Her look, her voice—everything was spot on! I particularly loved that the devil was portrayed by a woman who was not relying on a tired, sleazy stereotype, but instead perfectly captured the character as cunning and deceitful.
As the musical progressed, I often caught myself mouthing the lyrics familiar to me, while simultaneously amazed at how perfectly the songs were chosen to tell the story of Si Faust. This seamless integration is proof to the meticulous song choices of musical director and arranger Kabaitan Bautista and the sharp direction of Nelsito Gomez. I even bumped into Nelsito after the show, and he shared that he had to sacrifice one Wolfgang song he loved because it simply wouldn’t fit the narrative, a true mark of smart, focused directing. Having watched many jukebox musicals, I know how difficult it is to match songs properly. While I knew I wouldn’t hear all my favorites (it’s a rock opera, not a concert!), I was truly happy that every song choice fit the story like a glove, as if Basti had written them specifically for this production. Nelsito clearly did his homework, finding the right source material and expertly adapting Wolfgang’s catalog. As a long-time fan, I came to the show partly to see if the rock opera would do justice to the songs I’ve loved for years. It absolutely did!
The Powerhouse Performances That Define Si Faust
Ton Vergel de Dios (who kinda looked like The 1975’s Matty Healy) was an excellent choice to play Faust. When I first saw Basti’s post about the cast, my first thought was: Why isn’t Basti doing it? He has musical theater experience, having performed in Jesus Christ Superstar and American Idiot. Plus, HE’S BASTI ARTADI! He sings for a living and knows these songs intimately because he created them. But watching Ton on stage, I instantly understood why he was perfect. He possesses that gritty, powerful voice fit for a rock band frontman (which he was years ago), perfectly balanced with the vocal control of a theater performer, which is an incredible accomplishment given that I heard this is his first theater role. Marga, played by Shaira Opismar, sang a stunning rendition of “Darkness Fell,” one of my favorite Wolfgang songs. It sounded beautiful, solemn, and intensely painful. This was in stark contrast to the raw anger and fury she brought to certain parts of “Halik ni Hudas.” Matel Patayon’s performance as Martha was also exceptional. She delivered an eerie, haunting rendition of some parts of “Mata ng Diyos” and had a powerful, memorable scene opposite Marga. An actor who never disappoints is Josh Cabiladas. If you cast JoshiMae (as some in the theater community call him) in your production, you can count on him to deliver 101% of his immense talent. That’s why as Tino, I wasn’t surprised at all by JoshiMae’s excellent performance in Si Faust. He opened his scene with a powerful rendition of “Sandata” and brought it to a close with “Tulisan.”
A Must Watch
It’s rare that I watch a theater performance where every element clicks so perfectly—from the ensemble, wardrobe, and choreography, down to the moments of complete darkness, which establish the atmosphere before every scene. Si Faust was told solely through Wolfgang’s music, featuring no spoken lines. This challenging structure worked flawlessly in their favor, thanks to Basti’s inherent talent as a wordsmith, Manuel Legarda’s prolific guitar prowess (it was later shared to me that Manuel re-recorded all his guitar parts just for Si Faust), and the guidance of Nelsito and Kabaitan. It was incredibly cool to hear Wolfgang’s music performed in this new light. The fact that these songs, which already have their own deep meanings, could be used to effectively tell an entirely new story is a major highlight for both a Wolfgang and a theater fan like me.
It’s going to be their last weekend on November 20 to 23 at the Doreen Blackbox Theater, Areté, Ateneo de Manila University, so do yourself a favor and go see it! Ticket prices are at P999 and P1,499, available through Helixpay.
Denise J. Mallabo 